1. Field
The present disclosure is directed to a method and apparatus for operating a user client wireless communication device on a wireless wide area network. More particularly, the present disclosure is directed to operating a user client wireless communication device on a wireless wide area communication network without using a user wireless wide area communication device as a server.
2. Introduction
Presently, user client wireless communication devices use user wireless wide area communication devices to communicate with a wireless wide area communication network. For example, a user must use a smartphone to send and receive the information over a wireless wide area network for a smart watch when the smart watch itself lacks the ability to communicate directly over the wireless wide area communication network (e.g. due to the smart watch not having security credentials to do so). Such information can be information related to phone calls, text messages, e-mail messages, notifications, and other information that is sent from and received by a smart watch. In such an instance, the smart watch connects to the smartphone using via local area communications, e.g., Bluetooth® or WiFi communications, and the smartphone relays the communication signals over the wireless wide area communication network.
To communicate over the wireless wide area communication network, the smartphone must employ security procedures using a secret key that is exclusively stored on a subscriber identity module on the smartphone. The smart watch must communicate over the wireless wide area communication network using the smartphone because the smart watch does not have its own subscriber identity module or secret key to communicate over the network. The smart watch must also be in close proximity to the smartphone in order to communicate with the smartphone using Bluetooth® or other short range communication signals to access the wireless wide area communication network. This creates a problem when the user wants to use the smart watch without bringing along the smartphone. For example, if the user wants to go for a run or go to the gym with the smart watch without the burden of also carrying the smartphone, the user will not be able to obtain wireless wide area network coverage. This is a direct result of the absence of the subscriber identity module in the smart watch because information stored exclusively in the subscriber identity module on the smartphone is used by a wireless wide area operator to authenticate the user over the serving wireless wide area communication network.
One possible option to overcome the lack of a subscriber identity module on the smart watch would be to use a subscriber identity module on the smart watch in addition to the subscriber identity module on the smartphone. However, this creates a burden on the user because the user must register and pay for the subscriber identity modules on both devices with a wireless wide area communication network service provider to access the wireless wide area communication network. This also creates a burden because the different subscriber identity modules on the different devices each have different associated phone numbers, which makes managing calls, voice mail, and messaging difficult for the user. This further creates a burden in that it increases the size of the smart watch to accommodate for the addition of the subscriber identity module. This even further creates a burden when the user has multiple client devices, such as a smart watch, smart glasses, headphones, and other client devices that can be coupled to a wireless wide area network communication device, the user would have to install separate subscriber identity modules on every device.
Because the subscriber identity module is for authenticating a user rather than a device, there is a need for a method and apparatus for operating a user client wireless communication device on a wireless wide area network when the user client wireless communication device cannot use a user wireless wide area network device to access the wireless wide area network.